Another Frontier
by RogerD
Summary: A wormhole opens and a preternatural falls into the unknown. Set after Project Bright Sky.Chapter 3 up. A certain french vampire gets to become a daywalker
1. Chapter 1

Continued from Project Bright Sky

Chapter 1

I was looking at the 'timer' that the Ieldra had altered and made a little more user friendly. All I had to do was give it to Quinn was temporarily helping Molly Caffrey at Threshold. I turn it over in my hands, all the keys were digitalized, and apparently it had been made to withstand impact and large amounts of damage.

I caught a button, oh bollocks what had I done? All of a sudden a portal opened behind me, and started to pull me in. I tried to jump away from the vortex, or wormhole, and even left fingerprints as I tried to hang onto the metal kitchen work top. Oooooh Shit!

I was unceremoniously dumped on my rear end on a pavement. Ouch, that hurt.

I looked around, it was certainly dark, night time then. If I wasn't mistaken it looked like St Louis, but I was in another universe. I grabbed the timer, and examined the display; it stated 1 expansion prior. Could be bloody anywhere. I could hear music, and decided to 'bite the bullet' and seek people who may be able to give information. I zipped up my jacket to hide my weapons. As I walked I saw a newspaper dispenser, and looked at the title, St Louis Gazette, 20? The date wasn't clear. Damn. I decided to conceal my Quickening, as usual. Didn't want to appear a threat and get into a fight as soon as I get here.

I continued to walk and could see the name of the club, 'Guilty Pleasures', sounded like a strip joint. As I walked towards the club, the doormen, and many clientele going screamed preternatural to me. Their movements were just too fluid to be human. I had no idea of their abilities or what they were capable of. Shit, this was tactically unsound. I approached the door, and walked past the doorman. He didn't bother to search me, thankfully. He was a large guy, although if I had to hedge my bet, vampire. The doorman was too still to be a anything but vamp. I saw a couple of men on stage stripping off, and I would hazard a bet shapeshifter of some sort. They are fluid in a different way to vampires in my world.

I was categorizing everything by what I knew, the rules might be different here. Must be ready for anything. I saw people handing over money at the bar, it seemed to identical to what I was used 'back home'. I decided to order a couple of beers, the first I downed; the other for sipping. Methos has a lot to answer for. Not many people know this about me, only the League, and probably Methos. Before I became an Immortal, I was infected with the 'Living Vampire' virus. So in a sense I am a hybrid, and might appear to others as a vampire, if such exist here.

I looked at the stage, and examined every one who walked either by me, or about the club. I saw what could only be a vampire actually drain another preternatural on stage, can I say weird? The show continued, and I saw a woman walk by me; she must be a brunette of five foot exactly; she was armed. I could tell by how she walked. She was also a killer, she had the vibes and eyes on her. Next to her was another preternatural about six foot with long brown hair to his waist. Freaky.

I saw this woman was on her way out, and decided to finish my beer and leave. She seemed in a hurry all of a sudden. Why am I following a killer who left in a hurry, I guess my instincts to prevent the worst I guess. Anyway she sped onto the street with her 'friend'. They ran around the corner, and I followed at a discreet pace, until I heard a couple of thuds, and a scream or grunt of pain. It was then I picked up my speed to approximately 40mph, not full out, but enough. I stopped near the corner, and saw both the woman and her friend with long hair go tumbling end over end, being thrown by some asshole. If my senses were right, and they seemed to be, vampire! If I refined my preternatural senses further, I'd say he resembled the other species of vampire.

I like a quick kill with vampires, and so switched rounds preternaturally fast. I reloaded with anti-vamp, liquid daylight; temporarily fatal to 'dead ones'.

"Freeze asshole, or you're dead"

"Silver won't kill me" he hissed.

"That's lucky for me, it's not silver" and shot him straight in the head. The bullet penetrated his brain, and glowed a blue colour, that is until he caught fire and started screaming.

"What the fuck did you shoot him with?" the woman inquired, drawing her gun. The male was also back on his feet, eyes changing to amber. Probably a shapeshifter. I drew my shoto, and quickly killed him by removing the head.

"That's murder" the woman said "And I should arrest you right here" she said pointing a 'firestar' pistol at my head.

"He was attacking you and you're friend" I replied.

"What kind of rounds were those?"

"That's classified" it couldn't hurt to play Government agent, might just get out of this tight spot; but I doubted it. Certainly couldn't use the truth, "oh and by the way I am from the universe after yours collapsed and then expands again". That would get locked up real quick, looney tune coming through!

"Your Government" she inquired.

"I'll do this slow, but here's my DoD ID", and slowly removed my ID. If she checked me out I wouldn't exist, and that could go either way. I also put my gun and shoto back in respective holsters.

"I'll need to check this" she replied, "Can't say I've seen many agents with two wakizashis, and two pistols"

"Okay. I'll do you a deal. We'll forget the check, and I give you a round of my ammunition and pretend it fell on the floor, otherwise they'll be agents everywhere" I could see her struggle with the turmoil of the decision. She handed me back the ID, which I took as a good sign. When I got here the timer said ten years until I could leave, but according to my Ieldra contact this date could be manually altered.

If I'm stuck here for ten years, I'll need a job. The fact that I'm not an agent will cause me problems. Right now I needed information. Looking at her with my mystical senses, she appeared not quite human either, but as though connected to others. Very strange. I managed to get her name, Anita Blake, and friend Nathaniel. As I left I asked for her card with contact details, which she gave. I don't think she was taken in by my explanation. But I think she wanted the anti-vamp rounds. Can't blame her really. Tomorrow I would look her up again, if I was still here. After they left, I tried to alter the leaving date, and it wouldn't change. Oh well, maybe it would be ten years here, could always enroll in the army or FBI. My skills should get me 'head hunted' fairly quickly, hopefully in a good way.

I needed somewhere to sleep tonight. Perhaps if I seduced a woman. Interesting idea. Back I went to the club to try my luck.


	2. The Setup

Chapter 2

It had been an interesting night, the woman obviously not prepared for the endurance of Immortals. Eventually we slept, me very lightly. I awoke just as she was getting out of bed.

"I'm just going to take a shower" Marie said.

"Okay", as she wondered off to take a shower, I got up, and went to get a few drinks of water; at least while the kettle was boiling. I heard the paper arrive on her doorstep, and went to get it. I walked in drinking coffee and reading the headlines; I was still trying to get my mind around this world. The preternatural was legal, vampires and all. It was illegal, and considered murder to kill one without a court warrant. That would certainly make sense of last night's fiasco.

She came out the shower, and various small talk was engaged in. I had a shower myself, no point using magic to clean up, and enjoyed the feel of hot water on my skin. I came out, and put my clothes back on. The arrangement was for me to call her later, and go out tonight. As I left I made straight for a DIY store. Yes I ran; no car, and found a load of screw drivers. I took apart the 'timer', and found the technology inside way beyond me. Quinn might have been fine with this, but I certainly wasn't. I might well be here ten years at this rate. Shit a doodle do!

I made my way to a library and did as much research on the preternatural, and history as possible. I've learnt to speed read over the years, and a photographic memory certainly helps. A lot of long lived preternaturals have photographic memories, just that sometimes they have not learnt to use them, or they are suppressed for some reason. I read thousands of pages! By this time it was mid afternoon.

Money was not a problem at the minute, I had thousands still in my wallet. An idea still struck me though. I could do what I did best, take out drug dealers, and steal their money. Time to go find myself a victim or two. May as well make an impact around here. Short of going to one seedy area, the Vamp District during daylight, I had to find gangland territory. I got into a taxi. It made me laugh when I saw the taxi drivers face when I told him, "Take me to the outskirts of dodgiest gang district around here". Priceless.

I won't bore you with details too much. As soon as I picked up ID's off the almost dead bodies, and used magic to get them to tell me who they worked for, I went for the big fish. I hit him, and his house. By the time I finished, and got account numbers and passwords, I was a few million up. It is quite easy for a preternatural to get rich quick, if they need to. Those preternaturals that are unscrupulous where I come from often control many drug cartels, or huge crime syndicates.

I then left no living witnesses. I did not use my guns, just snapped a few necks on both occasions. Then when I was a couple of blocks away, a large fire started where I had just been. I wonder how that happened, accident-not! I needed some materials to alter the ID's and I was ready to go. I may as well find out who the major players are. I got a few materials for altering ID's, got my photo taken a few times. Ready made fake ID'S. This did not take as long as one would think, a few hours. All I had to do was rent a hotel room for a night. While I was doing this, I asked for a number of really good estate agent, may as well house hunt. I haven't owned a house in centuries, usually large buildings, but may as well start small-ish. I find looking at property exceedingly boring, unless I know i can change it as I see fit.

In this case I couldn't. I settled for a five bedroom house, with nice garden. That and the furniture set me back about almost half a mill. I also ordered some guns, and a car and a few other things. I priced up the cost of getting both types of ammunition. This is not the kind of thing you do on the internet. I priced it according to what I knew from my own world. Crap it was going to be expensive, and highly illegal. Time to waste another couple of drug dealers. I needed some major criminal players, and I thought about zipping to South America, and offing a cartel. Done it quite a few times before, but that was home. Till I knew what was what though I would need to stay reasonably smallish. For all I knew a seriously dangerous vampire ran them, and I could get wasted. When night came, I got a taxi to another city, and killed a couple more drug dealers. A couple of them were Werewolves, but not too powerful. I discovered one little fact, shapeshifters here were as strong as back home. I make it sound easy, and it wasn't that difficult to be truthful. But think about it, two werewolves that are not immortal, or even long lived; and a couple of dozen humans wielding SMG's against someone who is just over a 1000 years old. In my world, I've written just about every tactic, espionage and military manual in existence on the western hemisphere; and quite a few in Russia too. They were dead, not a chance. However, I'm sure if I run across a major vampire, or shapeshifter it might be different. I really didn't know yet.

I was accumulating cash though. I transferred a lot of their monies into one account, and then started to transfer it all over. The idea of making it really hard to trace, but any long lived preternatural being gets good at hiding trails, money or otherwise. Sort of our raison d'être as it were. Either that or get found out. Next step was get set up as hunter. I needed to go on a few courses, and get recognized, in effect turning me into a federal marshal. How stupid is that. Most humans that turn hunters that don't have preternatural skills, either have backup or wind up dead; very very quickly. Ho hum. Needless to say the course was easy. I'm still sort of seeing Marie, but told her I'm setting up my own business, hence not too much time, but she was busy at work anyway. While the irradiated fluid rounds are hard to make, I'm still trying to arrange it. I had plenty of silver nitrate hollow point rounds.

I had also looked up applicable laws, and most were the same here; except the preternatural stuff. There was also a nearby university that did 'Preternatural Studies'. I had a few words with the lecturer, and asked about text books on the subject. All in all, I was very busy over the next few months. I set my self up, as a preternatural investigator / exterminator or hunter. Within a day or two of my company getting set up, the news got out, I received a call from the Master of the City secretary or something, someone called Jason. Jean-Claude wanted a meeting at 3am. This would be interesting. It was currently 8pm. There was no chance of me going in unarmed. I had used the dealers contacts, and money to get hold of quite a bit of kit.

I had a BP vest, military issue that could also store items. I had two shotos in 'holsters' like guns under either arm. Underneath the left holster was a 9mm handgun, another in the small of my back. A P90, with plenty of spare ammo, some of which was stored in my small backpack. This same pack, also military issue held some grenades, two fragmentation, three flashbangs, and a couple of thermites. I looked like I was dressed for the battlefield. Off I drove to meet at the club 'Guilty Pleasures'. I'm sure I was breaking various dress codes, and other laws, but fuck it. Probably a master vampire, and I hadn't survived this long by playing nice and fair. Just to hide my 'clothing' I had a jacket on. They would obviously expect me through the main door, screw that. I had hacked into various databases, I'm good with computers, and got the building plans. A normal backdoor, an underground passageway, and an entrance on the roof that led all the way down to the club. The first two passageways would be guarded, especially the second of the two. The roof looked favourite. I approached the building and parked about three blocks away, and approached on foot. When I found a nice back alley, I climbed the wall, as I had been taught during training, using correct breathing and visualisation. I went up the wall like a spider. Once on the roof, there were no sentries, I made my way to the entrance. The door was padlocked. I picked the lock, and very quietly and carefully made my way inside. No guards, nothing. As I came down the stairs, there was still no one around. This led straight into the club, via another doorway. At a guess though, anyone that came in through this way would be friendly, or they could sense another preternatural threat. I arrived at the other door. I had to focus my hearing, to 'drown out' the music, but no one on the other side either. It was either a very well orchestrated trap, or they expected me this way. A very simple combination, I reached into my backpack, and got the relevant piece of kit. As the keycode flashed onto my screen, I put the code decipherer away. I typed in the code on the pad, and in I went. I walked down a few more stairs, and did my jacket up, don't want to look armed in a club full of people. I walked around a group of people all looking at the stage, and towards the office. I could hear voices in there, Anita's, somebody else; and another with a voice that sounded like silk. I opened the door and walked in. They looked up at me.

"I believe we had an appointment, I assume you are Jean-Claude?" I said to the man behind the desk. He was a very attractive man, I don't swing that way, and had long dark curly hair to his waist. He was wearing a business suit at this point. The other was a well built man, obviously did weights, had very tanned skin, and brown hair to his shoulders. Anita stood there in black jeans, a roll neck, and trainers. At least I wasn't too underdressed, I looked like I belonged in a SWAT team. Jean-Claude stood up, but did not offer to shake my hand.

"I am, Anita you've met, and this is Richard"

"Morning folks. Now what can I do for you Jean-Claude at this hour?" I could hear him mentally summon help to his office.

"That will not be necessary JC, summoning help" with a mean predatory smile on my face. I could read shock in all of them, although they did not show it by facial reaction; it's all in the eyes. Anita's eyes had a feral look about them. Two very large vampires walked through the door, closing it behind them.

"We want to know where this ammunition came from" Jean-Claude said pointing at a distance to the blue ammunition. If he was allergic to sunlight, even touching would cause parts of him to burn. I could hear another walking towards the door, and it opened. A man who was almost 5' 8" walked in with sandy hair, and the coldest ass eyes next to mine. He was a pro killer, no doubt about it. He also had a gun pointed at me, and walked to the opposite side of the office, that way if he missed, or the bullet went through me he wouldn't hit anyone else.

"Told you, it's classified" I stood there completely nonchalantly.

"I have never seen these type of ammunition before, ever" said the man with the gun.

"What does that prove? Not one damn thing" I replied

"Maybe I have some government contacts?"

"Do you have any current or ex Area 51 contacts?" I could see him shake his head.

"No"

"Didn't think so. Here's a bus load of shut the fuck up" I gave him 'the birdie' just to antagonise some more. Being the true professional he was, he didn't care less. Points for him.

"You expect us to believe you're from Area 51" Anita asked.

"Read between the line people, please engage just one brain cell, come on, just one" It was Jean-Claude who spoke next.

"This was deliberate by the Government, leak them into circulation to prove there are other methods of killing us"

"Hurray for the vampire brains in the operation. Even anti-shapeshifter rounds too. Would you like to see?" They all nodded their heads. "I know Ted, easy does it". Immortal intuition is a great thing, we all have it, improves as we age. I reached into my pocket, and threw one over to Jean-Claude who caught it flawlessly.

"Both rounds are hollow point, for maximum damage on impact. The silver nitrate, and irradiated fluid spread throughout the tissue causing irreparable damage. Aim for the head or the heart, anything else is your ass"

"What I want to know is why then set yourself up as a vampire executioner?" asked Anita.

"Why not? I have a unique skill set, and equipment to enable me to do it"

"If I were to tell the vampire council of this, their wrath would be unpleasant" Said Jean-Claude.

"You think we don't know where they are? Area 51 is a good 20 years ahead of normal government, which is ten years ahead of you" Anita looked at 'Ted' who nodded.

"So you're telling the truth, what does the Government plan to do to the Council if they don't like it?' asked Jean-Claude.

"If they play up, then vampires are history. It just so happens there is a biological weapon in the US, and France to kill everyone of you. It'll take a few months to spread. But no where on earth will be safe. Complete genocide"

"They wouldn't dare" said Richard.

"Oh they would" said Jean-Claude, "how quickly humanity destroys what it cannot tolerate or understand. I cannot tell the Council of either fact, I fear what would happen". Jean-Claude looked me in the eye, I looked back. He was trying to 'roll' my mind, he had no chance.

"May I go now, or is there anything further JC" I could also tell my abbreviation was pissing him off, albeit slightly.

"Yes you may go" said Jean-Claude. Phew, my manipulation was complete at this point. Not only did they believe I was an operative, or ex-operative of this Government, but Area 51 too. Being Immortal allows me to control my body, absolute; and I told my body to make no 'tells' that I was lying. My heart beat did not change, neither did my pheromones etc. Keeping your opponent off balance is essential in any manipulation.

"Excuse me" I said. He looked down at me with real anger in his eyes. 'Ted' was still watching me.

"Let him leave" Jean-Claude said. They moved. I walked out the office, and out the entrance to the club. As I walked away, I could sense intention my way. I know it sounds strange. Have you been out walking somewhere, and look about 20-30 meters behind you and find someone was looking at you? Soon as you see them, they look away. It's exactly like that, except I've refined the sense for use against snipers. I had a tail, an airborne one. I walked a few blocks in the wrong direction, and down a side street. I kept walking and found an apartment block with ladders up the side. I climbed to the roof.

"Come out, come out where ever you are. I know you're there vampire". I increased my sight, and spotted a blonde vampire at what he thought was my range. "I can see you" and undid my jacket reaching for a pistol, and getting a silencer out. "Land or I will shoot you dead" I said aiming. He was fast, but not for a preternatural like me, and shot him in the gut. My pistols are a version of the 'five seveN', a 9mm pistol for use with the P90, i.e. they use the same rounds. Will penetrate a Kevlar jacket at 300 meters, and here's the doozy, when they enter the target they rotate without deformation and don't tumble; hence a more grievous wound. Nice eh? Needless to say the vampire was hurt, and bleeding. But with a 21mm hole all the way through you, what's new?

"Last chance to land, slowly, or I do the same to your head?" The vampire came in for a slow landing. As he landed I shot out both kneecaps, he fell screaming. "If you want to talk to me, use the damn phone! Follow me again", and I pointed the gun at his head "I'll fucking destroy you. Now fuck off!" and I walked to the edge of the building, and climbed down the stairs. This was a dangerous game I was playing, and must be very careful or I would be undone. My beeper went off, someone somewhere needed a vampire slaying, goody! I got to kill someone.


	3. The Partial Truth

Chapter 3

I knew they would find out the truth, or some flaw in my story eventually. Either my preternatural nature would be seen, or surface or something. If the 'jig' wasn't already up with Jean-Claude unable to enter my mind. I would have to be careful. No matter how I looked at it I would need friends, or I would end up in serious trouble or totally dead.

The slaying was routine, in the sense it was an escapee from a nearby morgue. I deliberately went hand to hand with it. I had to see how strong they were. This newbie was incredibly strong, more so than a were. Despite vampires being strong here and a high pain tolerance, they could take tremendous amounts of damage, more so than I would have thought possible, despite no real physical changes. I took blood and tissue samples to look into it.

How strong would Jean-Claude be if we fought? Some of the older vampires here you could shoot with silver and they would keep coming, despite injuries. They would heal, not as fast as me. Shit! Maybe I had just bitten off more than I could chew. I doubt they had my combat experience of constantly fighting my own kind, and other preternaturals, but I could be wrong. Only time would tell. I had a lunch date with Marie tomorrow, and decided to get some sleep. I arrived home, and I was alone. I undressed, and left my things near the bed. Just in case. I slept till about 5am, and couldn't sleep any more. I needed to go somewhere where I could train. I found a kempo dojo on the internet. At 8am I headed over there, traffic wasn't too bad, it was Saturday. I walked into the dojo, and had a chat with the instructor, just about using the pads, and bags, and the back room for Kata and the like. Why not use my backyard, because people think I'm respectable. Loonies.

I punched the bags for a while, and was halfway through a double Katana form & guess who walks in, Anita Blake. She does not look too happy to see me, but I could do the form blindfolded; I've known it for almost 900 years. People seem to have stopped to watch me, including the instructor. I put a katana in the scabbard, as part of the form, and draw a kusari, a weighted chain, and continue. I finish my form, almost three minutes later, not even breathing hard. I leave both Katanas in my belt, and continue with a Naginata, or Japanese halberd. I put all the weapons down, and begin one of my favourite katas, with two shoto. I place both in my belt, they are slightly height offset to enable a fast draw. My kata continues for another 5 minutes. People are still watching, but I ignore them. I place both weapons back in my belt, and place my kit back in my bag. The Naginata belonged to the dojo though.

I turn to walk out, and the instructor turns and approaches me, people have awe in their eyes.

"I've never seen such level of skill. Can you teach those katas to me?"

"Which one would you prefer to learn" I inquired.

"What martial art is that? What grade are you?"

"I have mastered many martial arts. Those kata you saw were an ancient Samurai forms, no longer practiced, unfortunately". This was true, I had trained with Samurai, Ninja or Yamambushi Mountain Monks, and the Shaolin Monks. Plus innumerable other arts, I thought some of the Italian Saber work truly excellent.

"I see you are a 3rd Dan in Kempo, anything else?"

"A 4th Dan in judo"

"Interesting mix, judo is too easily countered though"

"By the time they've grabbed you it's too late" he replied

"Three words really. Drop your hips. Additionally, if you poke them in the eyes or throat, they stop trying to throw you. Usually around that time you beat them to death"

"Would you demonstrate?" And off we went with me teaching the class judo counters. The really advanced counter no one got. You have to become water like, and flow away from the grab allowing them to overbalance. It sounds easy when explained, but difficult to do-trust me on this. I then switched to some really violent street stuff, and explained how judo really works in a fight. Some got it, some didn't. Although I suspected Anita didn't like me much, she was wary of me. That was good. I had a shower at the end of the class, and got changed and left to meet Marie.

Lunch date was good, it was also helped by Marie being really attractive, okay stunning. Being a preternatural, we keep people at 'arms length', and do not tell ours secrets readily. Marie, had lots of friends, but no family. An only child, and her family had died in a car accident when she was little. Determined not to grow up in poverty, she got herself a good education and a good job. She went back to work being a 'high flying' lawyer. She earns six figures a year, which is pretty good. I was still unable to make anti-vamp rounds, but my search continued. The hollow point silver nitrate were easy. The Kempo instructor wanted me to teach some more tomorrow, certainly wanted a few of the 'set patterns'; which to be honest I was happy to 'pass on' some of my knowledge. It had been a long time since I had a student, human or preternatural. I used to train with some Japanese monks that used to run two marathons a day for two weeks to understand their own mortality. In retrospect, they were nuts, they had only one life and sought to destroy it. Many did.

When I got home I went for a run, well okay about twenty miles; just to clear my head.

Another week passed, and nothing really happened. I decided to 'make friends' with people. I was quite isolated and did not like it, not one damn bit. I waited until nightfall, and went to Guilty Pleasures, unarmed.

"I'm going to need to search you" the vamp doorman explained. I don't like being searched.

"I don't think so" I replied grabbing hold of his arm and twisting it into a lock really fast, "in you piss me off I'm break it and stuff the bone into your brain; _understand_". He was currently on the ground in intense pain. Even if he were stronger than me it wouldn't help, the bone was at break point.

As I said this I changed hands and positioning and maintained the lock with one hand, and showed him I was unarmed. "do you still need to search me?"

"Jean-Claude will kill me if I don't"

"Let's just take that you had resistance and leave it at that" I said releasing the lock, and walking by him. Another vamp doorman was walking this way, obviously curious, but had not seen the fracas. I overtly ignored him, just like any other professional would, but keeping a covert eye to see if he was going to do anything. I walked towards Jean-Claude's office & I could also sense that Anita was in there; and from the sounds they were having very loud sex. I could feel waves of magic emanating from the room; and did not want to interrupt any sexual magic, that I didn't want to get drawn in. I'm dating remember?

I waited till all the moaning, and in her case screaming subsided; and then another minute on top of that and opened the door.

"I hope I didn't catch either of you at an all together inopportune time, if you'll pardon my pun" I said sardonically. They were almost dressed. Jean-Claude was completely compus mentis, and she reached straight for her gun. I ignored her gun, and sat down.

"Don't fucking move, or I will kill you" I raised my hands in a comforting 'I don't want any trouble' sort of gesture.

"I didn't come here to fight"

"So what did you come for?" asked Jean-Claude in those silken tones.

"I presume you have guessed or made some assumptions about me?" I aimed this at Jean-Claude.

"Yes" he replied.

"Such as?"

"If we told you what would be the point? If what you said is true you could easily destroy us" spoke Jean-Claude in tones so soft and silky, yet so sharp they could cut like glass.

"It wasn't. So humour me, and I might just be able to offer you a gift"

"What could you possibly offer me? I want to know whose servant you are, it is considered a declaration of war to openly walk into my territory like this"

"Let's get this straight" I answered and began to stand.

"Stand and I will shoot you" said Anita. I could see tension leaving her body as she exhaled; and all trace of emotion.

"Shooting me in the head won't do it I'm afraid" I said and stopped concealing my power or my Quickening. I watched both gasp and stumble as my power flowed over them. "I am no ones servant. Now JC I believe we need to talk"

"Who are you?" he answered. I could see both were still a little shaken. I could see small sparks of electricity arc around the office, and they could too.

"The answer is Jean-Claude I am alone here. No friends really, or family and I very much need allies or friends" I emphasized the last bit.

"Why do _we _need you" replied Anita.

"Because I believe my blood will give Jean-Claude what he has always wanted. To be a daywalker" There was almost a 'pregnant' pause, before he spoke again.

"It is not possible, sadly" replied Jean-Claude. If I were human, or under 250 years old you would almost feel like crying as his power crashed over me. Fortunately I wasn't and it had no effect.

"It is actually. You see my blood has certain properties. Should you drink my blood, you will be a new man."

"I could just shoot you, and let Jean-Claude drink from your dead body, whatever you are" said Anita still her pointing a gun at me.

"You would never hit me with a bullet from that pistol, ever, but feel free to try Anita", and I took at step forward. I heard her tendons tense in her arm, and saw the flutter of her metacarpals before she even fired. Just a slight rotation and my body was long gone out of harms way. Missed!

"Jean-Claude" I said with a sense of urgency. Not that she would hit me, it was beginning to piss me off. I really didn't want to fight tonight.

"Ma petit, stop, please. Let us just hear him out" Her shot missed a second time, and a third. I disarmed her. I turned the gun over and the magazine flipped out, using my thumb to knock the bullets onto the floor. I suspect the reason Jean-Claude had not intervened was that he was evaluating my level of skill and honestly believed I did not want to fight. Which was good.

She was reaching for another weapon, will she ever stop? I used the 'voice' with a compulsion "Sit down". And she did, right where she was standing. I took a small pocket knife out of my pocket, and cut my arm open with a quick movement of the blade. I made sure it was deep.

"Watch", and Jean-Claude did. He saw it heal, quicker than any Lycanthrope or vampire, with a couple of sparks of Quickening.

"I have never seen anyone heal in that manner, how?"

"I am what you would call a 'Living Vampire', in that my heart always beats, I can walk in daylight without harm. I can even eat real food. Although I am sure you would gain most of those benefits, except the latter. Interested?" I didn't want to mention my other peculiarity yet. Keep them off balance in any manipulation. Truth would could later, this was fine. You expect to tell them everything straight away? Fat chance!

"Why should I not take it from you?"

"Do you think you can Jean-Claude? When you come into your power that's it from what I understand. Besides, this offer is for you only, no one else not even the Council" I could almost see his lips salivate at the thought. Anita was starting to shake off my spell, and stand up, no matter. Jean-Claude was the real threat here anyway. I proffered a wrist for him to drink from.

"Just a pint or two Jean-Claude, a taster, should you decide to accept my offer".

"Don't. He could be lying" Anita urged.

"Will your blood heal burns from holy water" asked Jean-Claude.

"Yes, why? Is there someone else you would choose have my gift"

"A friend of mine lost much and it has caused friction in our friendship"

"Shall we try you first and take it from there?" I gave him my wrist, and saw him reach for it to drink. Damn his grip was strong! I felt him drink, and my body attempt to restore any lost blood. Even so, such a healing is not without cost. I would need rest or lots of food.

"Well Jean-Claude?" I caught him as he swooned, as he clutched his chest, and gasped. "It'll be dawn in an hour, daylight"

"Sunrise"

"Let him go", Anita had picked up the knife.

"If he can survive daylight, will that assure you my good intentions?"

"If he dies" she started to threaten.

"Anita, It doesn't really matter if I could beat Jean-Claude and several others in a fight. We all know that the number of preternaturals you can send against me will sign my death warrant. I don't want that" Hopefully I might to live a little bit longer.

"Why should I or any others trust you? Why the games?"

"If I'd have come in here sooner, and told you the truth as you hear it. What then, you'd totally believe me? Trust me?"

"It would have helped" Anita replied, her anger rising again, doubt in her voice. Jean-Claude was recovering and able to stand unaided.

"No ma petit, he is right. If someone of his power had walked in here like he did, it would've ended badly"

"We had to jump through a few hoops. Then hopefully you won't set dozens of lycanthropes and other vampires on my ass, and I might just get to see tomorrow alive and in one peace"

"Maybe" Anita replied, "Just maybe".


End file.
